


Defining New Rules

by marieadriana



Series: Maintaining Discipline [5]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Anal Sex, Bottom Tony Stark, Emotional Sex, Love Confessions, M/M, Top Steve Rogers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-13
Updated: 2019-05-13
Packaged: 2020-03-02 19:17:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18817321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marieadriana/pseuds/marieadriana
Summary: Steve can't exactly tell Director Fury how he manages to keep Tony in line.  "Wicked hot sex" isn't an approved management technique.New rule number five also says they can never, ever tell Fury what part he's played in their relationship.





	Defining New Rules

Steve detested these private briefings with Fury – a bi-weekly ‘discussion’ of Avengers missions, personnel, and expectations that always left a bad taste in his mouth.

He didn’t normally come out of them feeling murderous… but there was a first time for everything.

“Before we break for today,” Fury said, leaning forward over the conference table. “I wanted to compliment you on your handling of Stark.”

Steve let one eyebrow wing up. “Oh?”

“Yeah.” Fury sat back now, regarding him over steepled fingers. “I know he’s a pain in the ass to work with – insubordinate arrogant asshole that he is – but you’ve got him following orders and – hell, I got a report that he actually checked himself into Medical when he got injured after that last skirmish.” The director smirked. “What’s your secret?”

Ice dripped down Steve’s spine. His jaw clenched and he rose from the table. He wouldn’t be explaining the odd form of discipline they’d stumbled upon – the not-relationship between himself and Tony that they didn’t talk about but that somehow gave them both balance. He couldn’t let the open criticism nigh derision of his teammate stand, though. “Try respect,” he ground out. “Amazing what mutual respect can do in the field. You might try it, now and then.”

As parting lines went, it wasn’t awful. Not as powerful as it could have been, but Steve didn’t dare try to think of something better… he was already vibrating with the need to get away from Fury and get home.

It was probably a good thing that no one else was in the communal kitchen upon his return to the Tower. Steve’s foul mood only deepened as he thought about the implications of Fury’s comment. Christ, it was no wonder Tony had such low self-esteem, if that was what Fury thought of him.

“Hey, Spangles,” the man in question said from the doorway – a little warily. “Steve, you’re about to crush that pan in your hand.”

Steve looked down to realize – yes, he’d almost crumpled the skillet. He set it down on the stove and stepped back, rubbing his hands on his khakis. “Sorry.”

“I don’t care about the pan,” Tony waved that away. “I care about – the look on your face.” He self-edited at the last minute. “What’s wrong?”

“Fury.” And that single word explanation was enough to make Tony nod in sympathetic understanding. “He… wanted to know how I manage you. What my secret is.” He bit off the words, feeling the simmering anger rise again.

Tony moved closer, leaning against the counter near him. “And? What did you tell him?”

“Not about that!” Steve snapped, looking up at Tony’s eyes. “I didn’t – damn it.” He buried his face in his hands. “I just said something lame about respecting you.”

Carefully, Tony slid an arm around Steve’s waist. “You do respect me, sugar.” The endearment slipped out without his permission, but he let it stand. He called Rhodey all manner of such things, surely this could be overlooked. 

“Yeah, but you and I both know that’s not why you listen to me.” Steve sighed. “I’m not sure I even know why you listen.”

Tony was silent a long moment, his arm snug around Steve’s waist. “Do we need to have a conversation?”

“No.” Steve tried to pull away, but Tony wouldn’t let him. “I know how you feel about conversations, Tony. I’m not going to push.”

“Maybe I want you to push.”

Steve twisted to stare at him. “No, you don’t, Tony. If you wanted to talk about this – this – whatever it is between us – hell, you’ve had every opportunity and you shut down, every time. I’m not the genius you are, but even I can figure out that means no fucking talking!”

“Whoa.” Tony’s eyes were wide, startled – but he didn’t pull away. “Yeah, okay. I changed my mind. We are definitely having a discussion… just not here.” He looked around the communal kitchen. “Your quarters or mine?”

“Does it really matter?” Steve asked flatly.

“Apparently, yes. Come on.” He tugged Steve towards the elevator and directed JARVIS to the penthouse. “This way, you know I’m not going to bail… it’s my room.” Tony tugged at Steve until he sank down on the insanely comfortable couch, still scowling. “Okay.” Tony sat down on the coffee table across from him and reached for his hands. Steve gave them willingly, caressing Tony’s knuckles with his thumbs. “Where do you want to start?”

Steve closed his eyes. “Is having this conversation the end?”

“What?” Startled, Tony slid forward until their knees touched. “Why would you – no, Steve. Jesus, is that why you looked like I was dragging you to the pyre?”

“Yes.” Steve looked down at their clasped hands. “What was I supposed to think, Tony? You’ve said since the beginning that this wasn’t – that there wasn’t to be any talking.”

“And you took that to mean that talking would be the end of – this?” Tony shook his head. “Baby, that’s not – ” Steve made a soft, sad sound that drew Tony’s eyes to his face. “What did I say?”

Steve tugged his hands free and rose to pace. “Can you just… not.” He rubbed at his face. “I can’t pretend anymore, Tony.”

The engineer froze. “I… I wondered how long it would take.” Tony’s throat wanted to close up, but he forced himself to keep talking. “Everybody gets to that point with me, sooner or later. I’d hoped…” He trailed off, looking at Steve’s broad back. The supersoldier was looking out over the city, his posture tense. “I shouldn’t be surprised,” Tony continued dully. 

“I thought I could handle it,” Steve said softly. “I thought I could – could just have… have sex with you and ignore…” He turned back to Tony, squaring those magnificent shoulders. “I’m sorry. I knew you didn’t want anything serious, and I – ”

Tony held up a hand. “Wait, what?”

“ – went ahead and fell for you anyway, and I – ”

“Steve—”

“ – didn’t mean to make it awkward. I wish I could just give you what you need but I can’t pretend that I’m not in love with you anymore, Tony, I just – I just can’t. I’m sorry.”

“What.” Tony stared blankly at him. “That’s – what?”

Steve’s brows furrowed. “Isn’t that…”

Tony rose from the coffee table and crossed to him in two long strides, wrapping his arms around Steve’s waist. “Jesus, that is so not what I thought was going on.” He buried his head in the crook of Steve’s neck, breathing hard. “God, I thought you were done with me. Cutting ties for good.”

Steve’s arms came up around him automatically. “I’m trying to give you space, doll.”

“I don’t want space, Steve, I want you,” Tony whispered into Steve’s neck.

“Then why – ” Steve’s voice caught on something that sounded suspiciously like tears. “Damn it, doll, you said we can’t talk about it. That… that it was just… between us.”

“Because I don’t want to share you,” Tony said softly. “That’s what I meant.” He held a hand to Steve’s face, relaxing a little when the supersoldier leaned into the touch. “I did say I didn’t want to talk about it, Steve – because every time I’ve had a discussion like this… it’s been… well. Bad.”

“How?”

“People don’t… don’t stay with me, Steve. They take what they need, and then they go.” Tony clung to Steve, not daring to look at him. “It took longer with Pepper, sure – but with Ty and Sunset… fuck, they were absolute nightmares. It’s all I’ve ever known, baby… and it would damn near kill me if you were one of them.”

“Do you really think that of me, Tony?” Steve tightened his arms around Tony, cradling him close.

“My brain doesn’t. My heart is fucking terrified.”

Steve’s hand stroked up and down his back. “You’re not the only one who’s scared.” He tilted his head to kiss Tony’s temple. “What if what I want – need from you is forever?”

“Your forever is going to be a hell of a lot longer than mine.”

“I want it all, everything you are. Every broken piece of you.” Tony tensed in his arms. “And I’m not going to try to fix you, doll. You’re the mechanic, the engineer. I’ll just hand you the tools you need and sit back to watch you be amazing again.”

Tony was silent, shivering in Steve’s arms. “Defining the relationship has always been the beginning of the end for me. And I – it’ll damned near kill me if you wind up in the same category as the others… an ex.”

“How can I be an ex if I’m not even a boyf– ”

“You are.” Tony silenced him with a gentle kiss on his lips. “Okay? You are. If you want to be. Just not that word, okay? I’ve done that word. It doesn’t end well.”

Steve shook his head. “That doesn’t help, doll. Knowing what I ain’t don’t help.”

“God, I love it when you get Brooklyn,” Tony murmured. “You need a word, huh?” Steve nodded, and Tony lifted a hand to lightly stroke his cheek. “I’m partial to partner myself, but lover works too.”

“Not… not something like hook-up or boytoy or…”

“No.” Tony leaned in to kiss him again. “I don’t think so. That’s not what I want, anyway.” His face shifted, showing his inner vulnerability. “Unless you…”

Steve’s eyes met and held his. “Does partners mean we aren’t hiding anymore? Because as hot as it is to sneak around – I think I’d like to take my best guy out on a date.”

“Are you sure?” Tony’s hand on his face stilled. “Because this isn’t something you get to take back, baby. Once the media catches wind, they’ll crucify you.” At Steve’s frown, Tony shook his head slowly. “Plenty of people will be pissed enough that you’re dating a man… a whole hell of a lot more will be pissed that it’s me.”

“What? Why?” Steve’s eyes went wide. “You’re incredible!”

Tony knew better than to argue that point. “I’ve got a history, and it’s not… well.” Tony looked away. “You’ve seen what people think of me. Fury’s not the only one who doesn’t respect me.”

“I don’t care.” Steve’s jaw was set. “You’re the best thing to happen to me in this century, doll – and I’m not backin’ down just because some bullies think it’s wrong.”

“God, you’re sexy when you’re determined,” Tony blurted out.

It made Steve chuckle. “Thanks, I think?”

“Are we good then, baby?” Tony asked, his eyes searching Steve’s. “Are we – are we agreed it’s the real thing, and…”

Steve scooped Tony up into his arms. “The real thing,” he agreed. “Long haul. Forever and a day.” He carried Tony towards the bedroom. “And right now, I want to make love to my partner – because this time I don’t have to pretend I’m okay with just fucking you.”

“I like the fucking.”

“I do too, doll – but I want more.” Steve lowered Tony onto the bed, pausing to kiss him tenderly. “You have no idea how hard it’s been to hold back. Not to shower you with love every time we touch. How much it ached to pull away from you afterwards and pretend it didn’t mean anything.” He cupped his hand around Tony’s cheek, feeling his heart swell when Tony nuzzled into his hand. “God, I love you.”

The breath caught in Tony’s chest, and he stared up at Steve like he’d never seen him before. “I love you too,” he breathed. “I might not say it often because it’s hard but – ”

“Say it with your hands when you touch me,” Steve murmured. He reached for the hem of Tony’s t-shirt. “Say it with your lips when you kiss me. I don’t need to hear it with your voice, doll – I can see it in your eyes, now that I know where to look.”

Tony sat up a little on the bed to allow Steve to pull his shirt up over his head, then wriggled himself out of his jeans and boxers. He gestured imperiously at Steve’s button-up and khakis. “Come on, old man. You’re falling behind.”

Steve smiled a little. In a way, it was nice to see that declaring his love for Tony hadn’t changed everything between them. “Yes, sir.” He enjoyed the flush on Tony’s cheeks from the honorific as he shucked out of his clothes.

It felt different to run his hands over Tony’s body now – fresh, and almost sacred. He bent his head to Tony’s chest, pausing when he felt the engineer’s breath catch. “Is this okay, doll?” 

“Yeah.” Tony wound the fingers of his right hand into Steve’s hair. As many positions and varieties as they’d tried, Steve had always been careful to avoid the arc reactor. “Just… be careful?”

“Yes, sir.” Steve pressed a kiss to the center of the arc reactor, making Tony’s breath hitch again. “This keeps you safe for me,” he murmured. “Sure, it lets you run the suit and that’s amazing but – that isn’t what I adore about it, doll – it keeps you alive.” Steve stroked his fingertips along the scars.

“Pepper had the first one put in a display case, labeled ‘Proof that Tony Stark Has a Heart.’ Never was sure if it was meant to be sweet or sarcastic.”

Steve lightly licked along the scar tissue. “I don’t need that as proof. You show me a thousand ways a day how much heart you have.” He kissed across to Tony’s nipple, nibbling gently.

“Oh, hell – do that again.” Tony’s fingers tightened in Steve’s hair.

Obligingly, Steve bit down, enjoying the way Tony bucked against him. He shifted carefully, hovering above Tony to reach the other nipple without putting pressure on the arc reactor. “You’re so beautiful,” Steve breathed.

“I’m a scarred up old man with a night light embedded in his sternum,” Tony protested mildly. “You’re the beautiful one here, baby.”

“I don’t hold with people talkin’ bad about my partner,” Steve shot back in the same tone. “So mind your tongue.”

Tony laughed. “Only if you get busy with yours.”

Steve grinned. “Can do.” He kissed down Tony’s chest, his hands stroking as he went. He spent some time on the lovely defined abs – how people ever thought Tony didn’t keep in shape to pilot the suit, Steve would never know – and finally arrived at his target. Like any good soldier, he did recon first – mapping Tony’s cock with his fingers before placing a kiss right at the tip, and then swallowing him down.

“Fuck,” Tony groaned. “God, I forget every time how fucking good at that you are.”

Pinning Tony’s hips down with his left hand, Steve used the right to slip lower, beneath his balls, and press the pad of his index finger to his hole. He pulled his mouth off long enough to curse. “Damn, why do I never think to grab the lube first?”

“I rarely do either, so we’re even.” Tony started to sit up, but Steve shook his head.

“I’ll get it.” He kissed Tony’s cock before standing up to rifle through the bedside table. “That is the biggest downside to makin’ time with a gent – needing slick.”

Tony’s eyebrows shot up. “You’ve given this a lot of thought, then?”

Lube acquired, Steve crawled back onto the bed. “Well, yeah.” He slicked up his fingers and knelt between Tony’s knees. “I mean, now that it’s not illegal at any rate.” He pressed a nibbling kiss to the inside of Tony’s thigh. “The whole getting arrested for it thing was kind of inconvenient.”

“I can imagine cop involvement is a bit of a boner killer,” Tony drawled.

“Doubt it would be for you… you like uniforms,” Steve teased. He gently stroked his fingers over Tony’s hole. 

“Here I thought I was subtle about it.” Tony squirmed until he could press down on Steve’s fingers. 

Steve held him still with one hand on his hip. “Let me go slow, sweetheart – I want to savor this.” He kissed Tony’s inner thigh again.

Tony huffed out a laugh. “You’re such a sap, Rogers.”

“Hey, it’s been seventy years since I got to whisper ‘I love you’s into somebody’s skin,” Steve told him, carefully working his index finger into Tony. “Allow me some romance.”

Moaning, Tony nodded. “Yeah – yeah, okay.” As he ran his fingers through Steve’s hair, he had to wonder – whose skin? But those thoughts fluttered out his brain when Steve added a second finger. “God, it shouldn’t feel this much different, should it? Nothing’s changed, right?”

“Nothing, yet everything,” Steve murmured. “Feels different to me too, love.” He kissed the base of Tony’s cock, started to kiss up the length as his fingers gently worked Tony open.

“Like that one,” Tony gasped.

“What?” Steve was partially distracted by the taste of Tony, the silken slide of skin against his tongue.

“The nickname. Like it,” Tony repeated, rocking against Steve.

A smile grew on the supersoldier’s face. “Yeah?” He rubbed his cheek against Tony’s cock and added a third finger. “I like being able to say it aloud. I call you that in my head all the time.”

“God, you’re adorable.” Tony chuckled. “Suppose it’s only fair, I call you sugar in my head.” He rolled his hips. “I know you’re being all tender, sweetheart – but I’d really like to feel you inside me, and be able to kiss you.”

“Hard to object to a request like that.” Steve pulled his fingers free with a final kiss to Tony’s cock. He poured more lube and smoothed it on, groaning a little. “I don’t know how much staying power I’ve got right now.”

“I really don’t care.” Tony hooked a leg around the back of Steve’s thigh to pull him close. “Thirty seconds or an hour, it’s all good. Just want you.”

Steve lined up his cock and pushed in – slowly, so as not to hurt Tony. They were both panting by the time he bottomed out. He propped himself up over Tony and leaned down for a kiss. “Better?”

“God, yes.” Tony squirmed a little, making Steve moan into his mouth. His arms came up to hold Steve tight. “Just – just stay there a minute, baby. Please.”

“Whatever you need, love.”

Tony pressed his forehead against Steve’s shoulder, feeling tears prick at his eyes. “Okay,” he breathed after a minute. “I’m – you can move.” Steve nuzzled his cheek and started to pull out, pausing when Tony let out soft whimper. “It’s okay, I’m just – it’s – a lot.”

It took Steve a moment to realize it wasn’t the physical sensations that were overwhelming Tony, and his heart flip-flopped in his chest. “I love you,” he whispered into Tony’s ear as he started to thrust. “I’ve wanted to be able to tell you for ages, and having you here in my arms like this is just fantastic.” Steve met his lips for a long kiss even as he continued his slow, rhythmic pace inside Tony. “To look down at this incredible, beautiful man and know he loves me too is just – it’s everything, doll.”

Tears spilled out as Tony nodded, unable to speak. He met Steve’s kisses, his hands flat on the broad expanse of the supersoldier’s back, his legs curling around Steve’s thighs. “I do,” he whispered back. “Love you back, I mean.”

“I know, sweetheart.” Steve nipped at his lower lip, then tenderly kissed the tears away from Tony’s eyes.

It wasn’t the frantic coupling they so often had – no sweat and grime from the battlefield, no desperation. They moved fluidly together, a mutual give-and-take. Tony sighed and moaned, arching up to meet Steve’s thrusts. Steve kept his pace slow as long as they both could stand it – but no amount of self-control could prevent them from rising to the peak eventually.

“Are you close, sweetheart?” Steve panted in Tony’s ear. “Can you come just on my cock?”

“Yes and yes – God, yes.” Tony arched up against Steve, his own cock trapped between them. “I’m so close, Steve.”

The supersoldier kissed him again, sweetly. “Come for me, babydoll.”

Tony did – and the clutch of his body around Steve tumbled him over the edge as well. They clung together through the aftershocks, trading kisses as their heartrates evened out. Steve was careful not to put too much weight on Tony’s chest, but he made no move to get off entirely – Tony had him wrapped up firmly.

“I didn’t actually think it could get hotter,” Tony remarked eventually. “The sex. I didn’t realize – ”

“It’s always better when there’s love,” Steve said fondly, kissing him again. He wanted to ask if Tony had really never had emotionally connected sex – but it seemed like the wrong time for that particular conversation. “Thank you for letting me love you, Tony.”

Tony squirmed. “I… yeah. You’re… you’re welcome.”

Steve laughed and rolled onto his side next to Tony. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to push too much. I should have known better than to throw gratitude and love into one comment.”

“I’m working on that,” Tony promised. He rolled over as well, so that they were facing each other. “I think we need new rules… we broke all the old ones to hell.”

Reaching out to stroke Tony’s chest, Steve raised an eyebrow. “Yeah?” It didn’t surprise him that Tony needed rules – or bother him. “And what were the old ones, doll?”

“Don’t talk about it, and don’t do it off the field.”

“Yeah, we shredded those.” Steve leaned forward to kiss him. “What do you have in mind for new ones, then?”

“I thought maybe…” Tony began, trailing his fingers over Steve’s pecs. “Be honest with each other.”

“That’s a good rule.” Steve kissed him again. “I like that rule. Can I suggest one too?” Tony nodded. “Open. As in, not a secret. We don’t have to make an announcement or anything,” he added when Tony’s eyes flickered away, “but I don’t want to lie about us, either.” Tony didn’t answer right away. “Yes, I’m sure.” He pulled at Tony’s hand until the engineer rolled again so that his back was to Steve, and the supersoldier gathered him into his arms spoon-fashion. Neither of them mentioned that it would probably have been smarter to clean off – they needed the touch too much.

Tony pressed back into him, reaching to pull Steve’s arm tight around him. “Rule three… being partners doesn’t… it doesn’t replace being teammates and friends. Just… adds to it.” He paused. “Right?”

“You’re still my best friend, Tony,” Steve assured him softly. “And we’ll keep it from changing how we work in the field.” He kissed the back of Tony’s neck. “There’s… there’s a couple names that it would be… that I’d rather you not use.”

“Okay…?”

Steve had to clear his throat before he could continue. “Stevie,” he whispered into Tony’s ear. “And – and punk.”

Tony’s eyebrows winged up, but he didn’t object. “Alright. Forbidden nicknames are rule number four, got it.” He reached back to pat Steve comfortingly. “I really hate that b-word for what we’re… I hate it. You’re not a boy and neither am I, and it sounds so juvenile and – ”

“And it’s a loaded term for you, I got it.” Steve nodded against Tony. “Anything else?”

“I really, really hate being called Anthony.”

“Duly noted.” Steve yawned.

Tony chuckled and wriggled his toes until he could catch the comforter they’d shoved to one side, pulling it up over them. “I think we’ve earned a nap.”

“Agreed.” Steve nuzzled him again, settling in more comfortable.

“There’s just one other thing.”

Chuckling, Steve took the bait. “Alright.”

“We can never, ever tell Director Fury that his comments today are what prompted us to get our heads out of our asses.”

“I am one hundred percent on board with that one.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not sure if I'll keep writing in this series, to be honest -- kind of depends on whether people want to read it. So if you do, PLEASE let me know. Otherwise I'll wander on to other projects.


End file.
